Urinary incontinence (UI) is a loss of bladder control that results in occasional or regular leakage of urine out of the bladder in an individual. It can be a common and distressing condition in that urinary leakage can occur upon normal movement or action of the person, such as when the person coughs or sneezes.
The treatment of urinary incontinence can vary. One type of treatment involves the implantation of an artificial urinary sphincter on to a person's urethra. There are a variety of disadvantages associated with the current artificial urinary sphincter. For example, such sphincters are surgically implanted and such surgery can take a great amount of time due to the high number of incisions required during implantation. Moreover, existing implants can be formed of several separate pieces that must be connected together by the surgeon using devices such as clamps, which can be tedious and unwieldy. In addition to being a tedious implantation process, the connected pieces can form points of failure for the device after implantation.
In addition, because the device is implanted in tissue, there is a tendency for the device to damage or irritate tissue in which it is planted. The device can also be difficult for patients to actuate, as the device can be hard to isolate and squeeze. The target audience of such devices are often older patients who can be lacking in dexterity, which can make it even more difficult for such patients to actuate the device.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved devices for treating urinary incontinence.